The Democratic nominee for Tennessee governor wants to electrocute incumbent Bill Haslam
Politics are weird.
In Tennessee, Gov. Bill Haslam easily locked up a Republican party nomination in his quest for a second term, winning more than 88 percent of the primary vote.
His Democratic challenger on the November ballot, though?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
That appears to be an Oakdale resident named Charles V. "Charlie" Brown, who likely benefited from his famous name and top-billing on the Democratic ballot. The Tennessean reported that Brown defeated three other challengers for the Democratic nomination.
Brown is a unique sort of politician. He has reported raising a grand total of zero dollars for his campaign through this week's primary election. He has ignored all interview requests so far. And his Facebook page announcing the campaign misspells his first name as "Chrles." Oh, he would also like to electrocute Bill Haslam.
The Washington Post obtained a screenshot of the "Letter to the Editor" that Brown submitted to the Blount County Democratic Party instead of the usual candidate questionnaire. It's worth a full read, for sure, but Brown's first two sentences set the tone:
"I under stand that the governor has reinstated the electric chair to take care of the prison on death row," Brown's letter reads. "After what he has done to my friends in Knox County, I would like to strap his butt to the chair and give him about half the jolt."
Democrats can rest assured that Brown seems to be a measured sort of man, settling for half the jolt. This will be one to watch come November.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sarah Eberspacher is an associate editor at TheWeek.com. She has previously worked as a sports reporter at The Livingston County Daily Press & Argus and The Arizona Republic. She graduated from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
-
Global court issues arrest warrant for Netanyahu
Speed Read The International Criminal Court issued warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, who stand accused of war crimes
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz bows out, Trump pivots to Pam Bondi
Speed Read Gaetz withdrew from attorney generation consideration, making way for longtime Trump loyalist Pam Bondi
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom ban
Speed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Ukraine fires ATACMS, Russia ups hybrid war
Speed Read Ukraine shot U.S.-provided long-range missiles and Russia threatened retaliation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wyoming judge strikes down abortion, pill bans
Speed Read The judge said the laws — one of which was a first-in-the-nation prohibition on the use of medication to end pregnancy — violated the state's constitution
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
US sanctions Israeli West Bank settler group
Speed Read The Biden administration has imposed sanctions on Amana, Israel's largest settlement development organization
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Gaetz ethics report in limbo as sex allegations emerge
Speed Read A lawyer representing two women alleges that Matt Gaetz paid them for sex, and one witnessed him having sex with minor
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published